Meatless Monday is a global movement, a way of life. It’s not a campaign to turn everyone in the world vegetarian or vegan; in fact, many involved are meat-lovers. Eating less meat has been proven to reduce the risk of disease, curb obesity and has important environmental impacts, too. Will you join us in giving up meat, just for one day a week?

Living in New York City, it’s easy to get lazy about cooking at home. Most people I know live on takeout (when they’re not dining out). It’s so tempting though; I have easy access to amazing food to suit any craving. I can get standard American fare, Mexican and Italian, of course, but more exotic options like Ethiopian or Peruvian are just as easy to come by. Takeout isn’t always indulgent or expensive either; there are plenty of healthy places (smoothie/juice bars, vegan cafes, raw food restaurants, or restaurants that serve variations on oatmeal or yogurt) within walking distance from my office and apartment, and most are really affordable or have plenty of cheaper options.

So why cook at home at all? My kitchen is ridiculously tiny, it’s a pain to carry loads of grocery bags home and cleanup isn’t exactly a breeze (I have a dishwasher but it only opens halfway because the fridge is in the way). But the answer is simple: I cook at home because I like to. After a long day at work, cooking a meal actually helps me decompress. And there’s no better feeling than making a meal that tastes better than something I would have picked up at a favorite restaurant.

I’ve been craving Indian food all weekend. I don’t know if it’s because I’m sick to death of stuffing and green bean casserole, or because I saw Life of Pi over the weekend (it was the dinner-at-home-in-India scenes, not the marooned-on-a-life-raft-in-the-middle-of-the-ocean that did it), but I can’t stop thinking about vegetable curry. And naan. And dal. And mango lassis.

Our season-long garden party Fall Fest 2012 welcomes food and garden bloggers to feature garden-to-table recipes and tips. We’ll feature favorite garden-to-table recipes and tips to help you enjoy the bounty, whether you’re harvesting your own goodies or buying them fresh from the market. Fresh this week: spinach.

Fresh spinach is incredibly nutritious. It’s full of fiber, Vitamin A, calcium and protein. Uncooked in a salad or wilted into a side dish, spinach is delicious any way you cook it. We particularly love it in Indian dishes. Instead of opting for takeout, try one of these tasty Indian recipes that you can make at home.

Puree spinach and spices as the basis for this twist on traditional pizza. It’ll serve as a tasty alternative to tomato sauce. Sprinkle the pureed spinach topping with cilantro, green onions and tomatoes before covering with mozzarella cheese.

Indian food is known for being pretty vegetarian-friendly (though it’s friendly to meat-lovers too, with dishes like goat curry and chicken tikka masala). There are always warmly spiced vegetable curries, lentil soups and plenty of meat-free appetizers on the menu at an Indian restaurant. Whenever I order Indian food (which is as much as possible), I order something with paneer, a firm Indian cheese. Paneer is similar in texture to firm tofu or conventional (not fresh) mozzarella, but very mildly-flavored; it’s slightly nutty. It takes on the flavors of the spices in the dish its being used in, and it doesn’t really melt so stays firm in the dish. Basically, it’s great.

Here’s the thing about Indian food — there’s a common misconception that it’s something to be eaten in restaurants, only. Not true at all. It’s pretty easy to make at home, and to start, you’ll only need a few basic spices.

Bal Arneson’s Green Beans With Paneer in Tomato Sauce is one of the simplest, meat-free recipes out there, Indian or otherwise. The only slightly exotic spices involved are coriander, mustard seeds and cumin, and those should all be available in a large supermarket. As for the paneer, you can find that in an Asian or Indian grocery store, or regular supermarket with a robust international section. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, you can make your own.

It’s mid-September and school’s back in session. Between carpools and homework, weeknights leave little time for prepping hearty dinners these days. But quick and delicious can go hand in hand.After all, Giada’sChicken Scallopine and Mark Bittman’sPasta with Prosciutto and Lettuce both take less than 30 minutes. A quick gander was all we needed to notice that Cooking Channel fans have caught on. From Indian curries to Italian pastas, you’ve all been cooking up a storm, and sharing your take-aways and tweaks. With all the great recipe reviews, we’re chiming in once more to share some of our favorites.

The epitome of easy and wholesome, Mark Bittman’sMonkfish and Mashed Potatoes (pictured above) comes seasoned with garlic and thyme, and served over the butteriest mashed potatoes you’ll ever lay your fork on.

“If I could give this a 10, I would do it in a minute!!! This was super easy and delicious. What a great way to cook and serve fish. I used Cod because I didn’t have Monk Fish but it was great. Thanks!”
— VanceConnie10 in Charleston, SC